selled his
son to move no war against Christian people;" but, notwithstanding that
blessed king's counsel,[7] it is declared on the other hand that "it is
notarily and openly {v} known through all Christian realms that our adverse
party hath moved and excited war and battles both by land and sea against
this noble realm without any justice or title, and without ways of peace
showed; and consequently it might be without note of tiranny for the king
of England to defend (or drive away) those assailants upon his true title,
and to put himself in devoir to conquer his rightful inheritance."

The writer then bursts forth into a passionate exhortation to the English
nation, to remember their ancient prowess, the annals of which he proceeds
to set forth in several subsequent chapters. He enumerates the examples of
king Arthur, of Brennus, Edmond Ironside, William the Conqueror, Henry the
First, his brother Robert elect king of Jerusalem, Fulke earl of Anjou,
Richard Coeur de Lyon, Philip Dieudonne of France, Edward the First, and
Richard earl of Cornwall and emperor of Almaine. He rehearses how Edward
the Third had the victory at the battle of Scluse, gat Caen by assault, won
the field at the great and dolorous battle of Cressy, captured David king
of Scots and Charles duke of Bretany, and took Calais by siege; how Edward
prince of Wales made John king of France prisoner at Poictiers; and how the
battle of Nazar was fought in Spain.

In the following chapter it is related how king Henry the Fifth conquered
Normandy; under which head a particular account is given of the defence of
Harfleur against the power of France. Here it is that the name of sir John
Fastolfe is first introduced as an authority, in respect to a circumstance
of that siege, which is, that the watchmen availed themselves of the
assistance of mastiffs--"and as for wache and ward yn the wynter nyghtys I
herd the seyd ser Johan Fastolfe sey that every man kepyng the scout wache
had a masty hound at a lyes (_or_ leash), to barke and warne yff ony
adverse partye were commyng to the dykes or to aproche the towne for to
scale yt."

The chapter concludes with a mention of the battle of Agincourt and the
marriage of king Henry to the French king's daughter.

The following chapters (pp. 17 et seq.) contain how in the time of John
duke of Bedford, who was for thirteen years Regent of France, the victory
of Cravant was obtained by his lieutenant the earl of Salisbury; h